MYSTERY: BRITISH MYSTERY: Missing Hearts (Amateur Sleuth Suspense Thriller) (Cozy Crime Detective Short Stories) Read Online Free Page B

pub was deserted and quiet. He spent the next half hour clearing up tables and loading the glass washing machine before heading upstairs to bed.
    He was shattered from the heavy day and worried over the missing people and of course the earlier conversation with George. Devil worshippers were the last thing this place needed. The old stone circle had attracted its fair share of crackpots over the years. All doing their thing to do whatever it was they thought they would do to embrace nature, but usually it was just an excuse for naked romps in the fresh air. Nobody came to any harm and nobody was any wiser to the orgies up there. It would always be so. Devil worshippers though, were a whole different ball game. Somebody could get hurt. That would be bad for the person getting hurt and bad too for the village and business. All this swirling through his head didn’t stop Benjamin falling asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

4
    I t was loud banging on the door that awoke Benjamin from his deep slumber. He staggered down the stairs and still stood in his boxers, unbolted and unlocked the heavy oak front door. It was George. He was panting heavily and pushed past Benjamin to get into the pub. He got himself over to the bar and clambered onto one of the barstools.
    “You won’t believe this shit Ben, really you are not going to believe this at all.”
    “Okay calm down, I’ll put the kettle on and some clothes. Yeah clothes might be a really good idea first. Okay go in the kitchen and put the kettle on. I’ll get dressed.” Benjamin said.
    George stumbled into the kitchen and filled up the electric kettle as Benjamin flew upstairs to get dressed. Throwing on whatever he could find from last night he was back downstairs before the kettle had a chance to boil.
    “Sit down George and tell me what the hell is going on” Benjamin said.
    “It’s Jimmy. Young Jimmy the paperboy. He’s gone too!” groaned George.
     “No shit. He left the shop this morning with his bag of papers and didn’t manage to get half way round the village. I was up waiting for him before I went to check my snares. I waited and waited and thought well he must have thrown a sick day or something so I walked down to the shop. He left at least an hour ago they told me. Nowhere to be seen Ben, no bloody where at all!”
    “Okay calm down mate” Benjamin said as he poured them both a hot mug of steaming tea. “He’ll be somewhere. Have the police been called? His folks?”
    “Yes, yes, they’ll be on their way right now. I’m going up on the moors to scout around. Something bad is going on Ben, something seriously bad.” George replied as he snuffled into his hot tea.
    “Okay relax, the whole village will be out looking for Jimmy, you can bet on it. Drink your tea. I’ll grab you something from the fridge to take up there with you. Be careful and don’t lose your head up there man. They’ll find him.”
    Benjamin was shaken himself from the news. Jimmy was sixteen and one of their own. A local kid. Delivering papers since he was twelve and could barely carry the bag. His mother owned the newsagents and delivering the papers was just one of those jobs he was going to get whether he liked it or not. He did like it though and the village liked him. This was not going to go down well at all. He rummaged around in the fridge and pulled out a couple of Cornish pasties. He bagged them up and passed them to George. “Stick these in your coat George. They’ll get you through the morning ‘til you can get something proper to eat.”
    “Thanks Ben. I’m going to go get up there. No idea what I’m looking for but I’ve got my suspicions this has to do with that stupid bloody circle. We should knock the damn thing down.” George replied as he dropped the pasties into the deep pockets of his poacher jacket.
    George gulped down his tea and passed the empty mug to Benjamin. “Thanks mate I’ll be back down in a few hours. Have a pint ready for